September 2005
Briefly speaking: New dining facility opens
Recent graduate Karen Keon, right, and student Alex Contreras, both event coordinators for Conference Housing, get an early taste of what's in store for students at the new Segundo dining commons. (Tony Novelozo/Axiom)
Students leaving home for the first time may be reluctant to bid goodbye to mom and dad's home-cooked meals. But they'll be pleasantly surprised to find the new Segundo Dining Room at UC Davis a far cry from the mess halls their parents may have experienced.
In fact, eating at the new dining room -- which will serve the Segundo community of about 1,600 students -- is more like visiting the food court at a mall. Eight different platforms throughout the 825-seat facility serve as mini-restaurants and offer traditional bistro items, sauté specialties, pizza, Mongolian barbecue, a salad bar, vegan choices and, of course, dessert.
'More like a restaurant'
"I see people thrilled when they walk in here," says Karen Keon, a graduating senior working on campus this summer. "The layout is great and provides better locations to eat. You get to see your food prepared, and the experience is more like a restaurant."
Brenan Connolly, general manager of residential dining operations, says much of the excitement generated by the dining room, opened June 26, is due to a change in perception. The menus haven't changed all that much, but the new setup allows staff to prepare food while students watch, so the dishes are fresher. Three different decors in various seating areas also help create different atmospheres for diners.
Recent graduate Karen Keon, right, and student Alex Contreras enjoy a meal at the new Segundo dining commons, expected to serve up to 20,000 meals a week this fall. (Tony Novelozo/Axiom)
"It's not only the ambience of the facilities that impresses people, but also the quality of the food," says Bob Smiggen, director of Student Housing and Dining Services. "Students and guests realize it as a tremendous value."
Variety of meal plans
Connolly expects the new facility to serve up to 20,000 meals a week in the fall. Indeed, Segundo might be serving even more meals for the first few months of the fall quarter because of construction delays at another dining hall on campus.
The expansion and remodeling of the Tercero Dining Commons -- which was originally expected to be completed in time for the start of school -- now is not expected to be ready for use until sometime in mid-November. The project has encountered some significant delays due to asbestos-related issues and construction problems discovered during the remodeling of the dining commons. The safety of students, staff and the contractors working on the job is of utmost importance, and the asbestos work has no connection to the residence halls where students will be living. So, students who were assigned to eat meals at Tercero have been offered several alternative options, including eating their meals at Segundo.
Meanwhile, any students who will be eating at Segundo can choose from among meal plans that allow them 90 to 180 meals a quarter. Each time they come into the dining room, they swipe their identification card for an all-you-can-eat visit. Smiggen says the cost breaks down to about $5 to $7 a meal, depending on the plan. Parents and other guests are welcome too.
Students who live off campus can also eat at the dining hall by purchasing a meal plan or paying cash.
With such culinary selections, the proverbial "freshman 15" weight gain may be even harder to avoid, but Connolly says there is a dietician on staff to help students make healthy choices.
Students can enjoy meals over a wide range of hours, even during late study sessions from 8:45 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Thursday.
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